As hype builds around the Detroit Lions’ 2025 season, much of the spotlight has been aimed at the usual suspects: Aidan Hutchinson’s edge dominance, Jahmyr Gibbs’ offensive explosiveness, and a potential breakout from young stars like Terrion Arnold and Jack Campbell. But every team with championship aspirations needs unsung heroes — players who might not dominate headlines but are critical to winning football. That’s where the spirit of the John Cominsky Award comes in: recognizing the player not being talked about enough.

This year, my nominee is defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

Now entering his fourth season, McNeill is no longer a young, developmental project. He’s grown into one of the most quietly effective players on Detroit’s defense. After slimming down and transforming his body ahead of the 2023 season, McNeill showed significant improvement as a pass rusher. He posted career-highs in sacks and quarterback pressures before missing some time with injury late in the year. Despite not being flashy, he consistently affects the game in ways that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.

What makes McNeill so valuable is his versatility. He’s strong enough to eat blocks in the run game, yet agile enough to collapse the pocket on passing downs. With the offseason addition of DJ Reader — a true space-eater at nose tackle — McNeill is finally positioned to be used more creatively. He’ll have more one-on-one opportunities and less wear-and-tear in the trenches. Reader’s presence also allows McNeill to focus on what he does best: shooting gaps and disrupting plays before they develop.

Another layer to McNeill’s importance is leadership. As a third-round pick in 2021, he’s grown up under the Dan Campbell regime and embodies the team’s gritty, workmanlike identity. In a locker room now filled with young defensive linemen like Tyleik Williams, McNeill’s experience and approach will be key in building a consistently dominant front.

The Lions’ defensive focus this offseason has been clear: improve against the run, get into favorable down-and-distance situations, and put opposing quarterbacks in predictable spots. Alim McNeill is central to all three goals. He’s the kind of player who won’t lead your fantasy team to a title, but he might help lead Detroit to its first Super Bowl appearance.

So while the buzz surrounds Detroit’s stars, don’t forget about the guys in the trenches making it all work. If the Lions defense takes a step forward in 2025 — and many expect it will — Alim McNeill will be a major reason why.

He may not be the loudest voice in the room or the flashiest highlight on your feed, but that’s exactly why he deserves this year’s John Cominsky Award. Because people still aren’t talking enough about Alim McNeill — and it’s time they should be.